Pennsylvania State Police held a press conference in Gibson Aug. 7, 2025 following a shooting that injured two troopers earlier that day.
Two Pennsylvania State Troopers were shot in Thompson on Aug. 7, 2025. Police and emergency crews remained at the scene at 3 p.m.

Two people are dead and two Pennsylvania state troopers are recovering after a shooting in northeastern Susquehanna County on Aug. 7, which also left an EMT injured.

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris said Troopers Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins III were struck by an "ambush" of gunfire when they responded to a call of shots fired along state Route 171, around 5 miles north of Thompson, Pennsylvania, at 11:17 a.m.

Lori Wasko, 57, was found fatally shot near her vehicle at the scene, Paris said. Investigators believe Wasko's neighbor Carmine Faino, 61, shot her and the troopers before he was killed by police.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said Perechinsky saved his partner's life and the lives of community members in the area during the incident.

“He acted decisively. He acted thoughtfully. And the work he did today exemplifies the absolute best of the Pennsylvania State Police,” Shapiro told reporters.

What happened during the shooting?

Paris said Faino shot the troopers and fired dozens of rounds at their vehicles and that of EMT Carl Lawson, who was driving to the scene to assist. The shots at Lawson's vehicle caused him to veer off the road, crash into a tree and sustain physical injuries. He was listed in stable condition Aug. 7.

Perechinsky sustained two bullet wounds to his chest and torso area. Jenkins was shot once in each arm. Perechinsky was able to apply tourniquets to them to slow the bleeding.

After being shot, the trooper also ordered a driver to pull his tractor-trailer across the roadway to stop more people from driving into the area and potentially being subjected to gunfire, Paris said.

Police attempted to create a perimeter around Faino using a drone, but he was able to shoot it down with a long-range assault rifle. At one point, Paris said Faino sat on top of a propane tank, leading police to believe he was looking to use it as an explosive device.

After negotiating “at length,” Paris said, police shot and killed Faino at the scene.

Jenkins and Perechinsky were evacuated by troopers at the scene to a nearby field where they were airlifted to a hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.

Investigation is ongoing

Paris said the department is currently working with the Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office to investigate the lethal force used against Faino.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 Pennsylvania state police troopers wounded in 'ambush' shooting

Reporting by N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Sunshyne Lynch, Jillian McCarthy and Kathryne Rubright, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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